Lammy-tacular!

Happy Thursday, gang!

I have some very big, exciting news!

My newest release, Pianissimo, has been nominated for a Lammy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is a Lammy, you ask?

A Lammy is a Lambda Literary Award. Lambda Literary is the paramount foundation for all genres of LGBT writing.


For more information, please visit  http://www.lambdaliterary.org


So, in light on the nomination, I want to celebrate all things Pianissimo!

Here is the trailer for Pianissimo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1hWP81TVrg


Here's a little teaser for you:

The hot water splashed all over the sink as Corinne rinsed off another plate. She placed it on the rack and went to the next one. More soap. She scrubbed the melted cheese off of it. As she scrubbed, Corinne thought she heard something. She paused, only hearing the running water from the faucet.
“Darb.”
There it was again. A voice. A strange voice. She couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman speaking. It
was almost like a scratchy whisper. It was very weird. It was like nothing she had ever heard before, and yet she couldn’t be sure she actually heard anything.
Maybe she hadn’t. Maybe it was just her imagination playing games with her. This isolation and solitude was definitely taking a toll on her. It was probably nothing more than that.
She brought her eyes back down to the plate in her hand, and she restarted scrubbing that old, nasty,
melted cheese off of it.


Want more of a sample? Check out this FREE four chapter sample book! http://books.noisetrade.com/laurenshiro/pianissimo-by-lauren-shiro-four


Last, and certainly not least, here is the link to get your copy in e-book or print!
http://www.amazon.com/Pianissimo-Lauren-Shiro/dp/0692310819/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1418175573&sr=8-1


Happy reading!

Atypical Romance Novel Discussion with Charmaine Gordon and L. E. Harvey

Today, Charmaine Gordon, author of To Be Continued; Starting Over; Now What? and Reconstructing Charlie; and L. E. Harvey, author of Loving Her; Unbreakable Hostage; Imperfect and the soon-to-be-released Impeccable, discuss writing “atypical” romance novels.

Charmaine Gordon is an incredible lady. She is full of life and enthusiasm. Her energy dwarfs that of twenty year olds. She has experiences galor, and a highly contagious laugh. Her stories are beautifully executed novels about women starting over, whether from death, divorce or otherwise. Most romance novels focus on young, beautiful people who spend forever together and it’s ll just perfect. Charmaine knows that even with as dark as reality can be, there can still be bright beautiful romance. Her stories give hope to all of us, and are the kind of reads we can all relate to.

L. E. Harvey is a very out-spoken person. She refuses to hide her identity or her beliefs on equality for the sake of being “P. C.” Her experiences have shown her the highest highs and the lowest lows of humanity. Using these experiences, she writes stories about people who love regardless of race, religion and gender. L. E. Harvey’s stories show us that with inner strength and true devotion, couples can survive any trial.

Question 1: How do you feel defining your romances as "atypical" or "different?"
CG: My stories have been referred to as Survive and Thrive.
LEH: So, they’re not necessarily strictly romance novels, then. I personally much prefer a story to be richer, fuller and more complex than a straight romance.
2) What is the reward for you in writing about characters who aren't young, pretty and perfect?
CG: The women can be any size, age, and shape. We're all people not cookie cutters of some ideal but rather we are snowflakes, each unique in our differences.
LEH.: Beautifully stated.
3) What would you like to say to readers about your work?
CG: Each story is different, not formulaic. What brings them together is the women in each have suffered a loss either in death, abandonment, maybe divorce. They must find courage to rise above and begin the task of placing one foot in front of the other until they find where they are going.
LEH: How true that is of life! It’s great to read about characters whose struggles mirror ours!
CG: Answer the same questions you asked me, m'dear.
Question 1: How do you feel defining your romances as "atypical" or "different?"
LEH: I don't like defining my romances as different. Love is love and it crosses all boundaries, defies race and religion. All romances are different, but they should all be treated equally.
2) What is the reward for you in writing about characters who aren't young, pretty and perfect?
LEH: The reward for me is creating people who are just like me. They are people to whom my readers can relate. I think empathy and relate-ability are very important to any story.
3) What would you like to say to readers about your work?
My novels are contemporary fiction. Although my characters are typically LGBT, the stories are universal and will touch the hearts of all readers. I'll openly admit that there are political tones to my stories, though they are entertaining as well. Although they are different, My books deserve to stand on a shelf next to any "typical" romance novel. I think most people would be surprised at how univeral my stories really are.

Blog Tour Info

Hey everyone! I just want to let you know about ALL of the exciting stops and events for my tour!

It starts with me being featured in the newsletter for Marketing For Romance Writers in April.


On April 5th, Imperfect will be featured on Lisabet's Spring Excerpt Festival.


From there, my stops will include a chat with author Charmaine Gordon on 4/13,

a guest post with author Malcolm Campbell on 4/22,

a review by author Robert Hays and an interview with author Lloyd Kaneko both on 4/28,

a feature with author Chelle Cordero on 5/2,

an interview with S. R. Calridge on 5/11,

a guest blog on Savvy Authors on 5/18,

a review by BK Boooks on 5/18,

a feature on Elaine Lee's blog on 5/26,

a featured listing on Ron Knight's Up Author's 100th Blog,

an interview with Collin Kelley on 5/31,

and it ends with me doing an IN-PERSON event - The Suffern Book Festival in Suffern, NY!


Stay tuned as I will have all of the links on here and they will be tweeted as well.


Thanks for all of your support and I look forward to seeing everyone on my tour! :)

Happy Reading!

L. E. Harvey is going on tour!!!!!!!

Heya folks! This is a quick notice to let y'all know that yours truly is doing a blog tour which will coincide with an-person event I am doing at the end of May.

Starting April 4th, I will be doing a blog tour which will include features, intreviews, reviews and more! I am SO excited about this. I'll be making some INCREDIBLE stops along the way, so I hope you all follow along!

The end of May, I will be at the Suffern Book Festival to meet you, sign books, answer questions and more! I am so thrilled to have this opportunity, and I hope to meet you there!

Take care and happy reading!!!!!

Monday News

Good morning, world!

Today's blog will be a short one as I'm a tad under the weather today.

There's not too much to report this week. I'm having minor surgery tomorrow, so I'll be getting some writing and light work done.

I have a new Unbreakable Hostage quiz up on Facebook! Click HERE to take it! I'd love to know who YOU are! ;)

To end today's blog, here are some pictures from my book signing in Suffern, NY. As you can see, this ain't your Mama's book signing! ;)



Authors Charmaine Gordon and Chelle Cordero and I are the new Rockettes! ;)




Reader Barbara Cordero Du-Bois and myself





VHP's Angels! Watch out world, here we come! :)



Me giving a reading from Loving Her. I read two excerpts from Unbreakable Hostage, too. ;)

Author Spotlight: Charmaine Gordon

Good morning, world. Today, we have the un-stoppable Charmaine Gordon with us today. She's a fellow VHP author and absolutely one of the greatest people I have ever met! :)





First off, I always offer my guests virtual coffee, tea (even alcohol), etc. Anything in particular you'd like? :)

If we're mtg in pm-half glass of Chardonnay is fine. More and I'll be tapping dancing on the table. ''tis sad but true. Otherwise decaf tea-chamomile with one sweetener.


I don't need the alcohol to tap dance, but either way, I'll gladly tap dance with ya! ;)



Ok, there is SO much that I want to discuss with you. We'll start off with your theatrical career. My brother is an actor, and we both grew up in the theatre and on the stage. Did you ever have a moment where you decided it was something you wanted to try, or was it more like my up-bringing where it was just a part of life?


I danced out of Mother's womb singing Chicago, Chicago, a toddlin' town. My debut.






You've done shows, movies, commercials - you've written sketches. What part of the entertainment industry was your favorite?


All fun touched with a sense of adventure on the set.







You are such a pistol! You are so bright and you literally light up a room! I have only known you to be positive and up-beat. What is your perspective on life?


Do the dance of life and move on.






Ok, two more questions and then we get down to the writing! :)




First off, your website says you're a new bride. Would you care to ellaborate? :)


New bride is a misnomer. Slightly used is more accurate. He has a Harley and rides it alone. I prefer tricycles.








Also on your website, there is a FANTASTIC picture of you on a motorcycle and you call yourself an adventurer. Do you ride? If so, can I ride with ya some time? LOL. What was the greatest adventure you ever experienced?



Greatest adventure is when I had a near death experience in 1967 while giving birth to my last child-a daughter. The me on the operating table drifting away-profound silence and peaceful tunnel-moving toward a light-realization that I couldn't leave my husband with all those children to raise and the new baby. Waking from a coma 3 days later. Fearless.





Wow! That is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that with us! You are an incredibly brave and strong woman!


Ok, writing time! :)






Your books are incredibly powerful to me because they send a very strong, resilient and positive image about women. Was that your main purpose in writing, or did that just kind of happen?


As a writer, I find personal experience touches the story. Can't help it.






In To Be Continued, Lizzie reads the note from her husband while she's on the floor. Though she did not intentionally get down there, it really is powerful imagery. Tell us about how & why that scene came about the way that it did.



Liz Malone, excited to find a note from husband Frank, reaches for reading glasses, drops them.Scrambling along the carpet, finds them, glasses perched in place, she reads the ugly truth. Like a discarded doll, she sits naked and broken, discarded for the moment.


Ok, let's get down to the nitty gritty of your books! ;)

Once Again, Now

Widowed after forty years of marriage, Kate Harris hasn't a clue as how she'll get through the rest of her life. At a recycling-single-men party, she meets Mac McCord,a widower with secrets. The attraction is instant. Kate teaches him to play tennis-her favorite sport; Mac teaches her to shoot a gun-his obsession with security. And Kate finds that love, the second time around, is not always perfect.


To Be Continued

Elizabeth Malone wakes up the morning after an amazing night of passion with her husband of forty years to find a note: "Dear Lizzie, it's not you, it's me."
Abandonded by her husband disappointed in daughter Susie's casual attitude - 'Dad's having a mid-life crisis', Beth decides to re-establish herself as the winner she once was.
When Frank Malone returns, he's in for a big surprise!






I asked of another writer who is a singer if he felt that his various artistic endeavors helped feed into or support/help his writing. What about you? Do you feel a connection between all of your various adventures? Do you find that your experience has helped you to write?



Embracing each medium with enthusiasm is the way I approached work as an actor.:whether contemplating my navel in the dressing room at One Life To Live waiting for the actual moment when I was called to walk through swinging doors and not let them continue to swing-no easy task or singing Happy Birthday to Melanie Griffith in Working Girl. All fun touched with a sense of adventure on the set.




Since your heroines are such strong characters, what do you think is important for women of any age to remember as they go through life?


Do the dance of life and move on. One step forward, slide two steps back. Two steps forward, slide one step back. Try three steps forward.Keep going til you get it right. I still don't know what I'll be when I grow up.




Let's end this on an interesting note. Tell us your favorite line from your favorite show/play/movie/commercial/skit. :)


Favorite moment in an Off-Broadway play,The Fourth Commandment-Grace (the mother-that's me)moves in with daughter and her husband and has a chat.
"I still have the same bed. There's a few good memories in that mattress. Your father was a frisky little bastard when he came home from one of those long sales trips."





I think we should have some chardonnay anyway, my dear! Cheers! :)






Happy reading!

http://www.charmainegordon.com/
http://www.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/Charmaine_Gordon.html